Windows 11 VM on VMware Workstation (v17) Stuck in Suspended State (S.) - Solution
If you've created a Windows 11 virtual machine (VM) on VMware Workstation version 17, and after numerous work events, you find the VM in a suspended state, denoted as "S," this article will provide a solution. We'll cover the necessary context, key concepts, and a detailed step-by-step guide.
Understanding the Suspended State
A VM in suspended mode is essentially in a hibernation state. VMware Workstation saves the current state of a VM to disk when it's put into suspended mode. While this preserves the state, it can interfere with your workflow if it's stuck that way.
Forcing a Shutdown
To handle a Windows 11 VM stuck in a suspended state in VMware Workstation (v17), follow the steps below. This approach will force a shutdown of the VM, after which, you can start it up normally.
Step 1: In the VMware Workstation interface, locate the suspended VM from the list of VMs. Make sure to highlight the VM that is suspended.
Step 2: From the top menu, click VM > Power > Shut Down Guest. This action sends a shutdown request directly to the operating system within the VM.
VM > Power > Shut Down Guest
Step 3: If the VM fails to respond to the shutdown request, proceed to forcefully close the VM. From the top menu, click VM > Power > Power Off.
VM > Power > Power Off
Step 4: After the forced shutdown, start the VM as usual. From the top menu, click VM > Start Up > Start Up.
VM > Start Up > Start Up
Preventing Future Suspended State Incidents
To help prevent situations where VMs become stuck in suspended states, you can:
- Monitor and maintain your system's overall performance, ensuring resource limits aren't reached and causing VMs to hibernate.
- Implement VMware Workstation's auto-protect feature, which will ensure your VM is saved and can recover from unexpected outages.
- A suspended VM is in a hibernation state that preserves the state of the VM.
- To shut down a suspended VM in VMware Workstation (v17), first use the 'Shut Down Guest' option, followed by the 'Power Off' option.
- Implementing VMware Workstation's auto-protect feature and maintaining system performance can help prevent suspended VM states.
References
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VMware Workstation Documentation Center
https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-Workstation-Pro/17/com.vmware.ws.using.doc/GUID-64FF271A-A292-403B-A951-B26822A084EC.html
Official documentation for VMware Workstation covering its features, compatibility, and troubleshooting. -
Windows 11 System Requirements
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications
The necessary hardware and software to run Windows 11, ensuring compatibility with VMware, and Windows 11